WRS need to stop dropping the ball
This is the third story in a position-by-position series looking at the 2022 Texas A&M Aggies after spring workouts.
Today: Wide receivers
Who’s back: Ainias Smith, senior; Jalen Preston, senior; Hezekiah Jones, senior; Devin Price, junior; Chase Lane, junior; Kenyon Jackson, junior; Moose Muhammad III, sophomore; Yulkeith Brown, sophomore.
Who’s gone: Demond Demas, Caleb Chapman.
2022 signees: Evan Stewart, Chris Marshall, Noah Thomas.
What to expect: Receivers overall have underperformed during the four-season Jimbo Fisher era at A&M, with receivers coach Dameyune Craig taking most of the blame for his players’ repeated failures.
Dropped passes again were the Aggies’ biggest issue in the spring game, something Fisher noted afterward, perhaps not being as protective of Craig as he has been in the past.
But Craig & Co. have done a good job of recruiting, especially of late, bringing onboard two five-star prospects in Stewart and Marshall in the class of 2022. Now the job is to develop them, something the Aggies have struggled to do with their receivers the past few years.
A stark example is former five-star receiver Demond Demas, who finally was dismissed from the program this year after myriad off-field troubles and a lack of discipline on the field. The latter is
nothing new among A&M receivers, although Smith is the primary exception as A&M’S Mr. Everything.
Despite Smith’s efforts, the Aggies finished 13th in the 14-team SEC last year in passing offense. Having an erratic quarterback at the time (Zach Calzada) did not help, but he’s
moved on to Auburn, and Max Johnson, Haynes King and Conner Weigman are competing for the job.
Only 2-10 Vanderbilt was behind 8-4 A&M in passing yards last season, and the Aggies will need to do a much better job in 2022 of adding a passing
threat so defenses aren’t able to key on dynamic running back Devon Achane.
A&M on paper appears strong at receiver, with multiple seasoned receivers like Preston, Jones and Lane back for another round. But with Chapman’s transfer, the Aggies
simply don’t have any serious downfield threats — at least any who’ve seen college action.
Stewart and Marshall should get every chance to run plenty of routes short and long early in trying to get the Aggies’ passing game on track, a necessity if A&M is going
to finally compete for a league title in Fisher’s fifth season.
Projected depth chart
WR: Ainias Smith | Moose Muhammad III
WR: Evan Stewart | Chase Lane
WR: Jalen Preston | Chris Marshall